Phillies Notebook: Sizzling Rhys Hoskins earns a promotion in lineup

PHILADELPHIA >> Ever since Rhys Hoskins began hitting major-league home runs in record bunches, Pete Mackanin has maintained a passionate theme: He’d need to see more at-bats before breaking out a party hat.

By Wednesday, Mackanin would make a small play to get that done, moving Hoskins up in the order for a game against the visiting Miami Marlins. In just his 33rd major-league game, and on a night after he’d hit two lengthy home runs, Hoskins would earn the No. 3 spot in the lineup. With that, fellow rookie Nick Williams would land in the cleanup spot.

“Williams is a pretty good RBI guy, too,” Mackanin said. “And I want Hoskins as far up as I can in the lineup. If we get to the bottom of that ninth inning, I’d like to make sure he came up to the plate rather than hit him fourth or fifth.”

Instantly, Mackanin’s initiative paid off, as after Odubel Herrera doubled and moved to third on a Freddy Galvis single Wednesday, Hoskins gave the Phillies a lead with a first-inning sacrifice fly to deep left. In the third inning, he drew a one-out walk, then scored on an Aaron Altherr double. And in the fifth, he clubbed his 17th home run, a two-run shot into the left-field seats.

In a 15-inning victory over Miami Tuesday, Hoskins became the first Phillie since Pat Burrell in 2000 to register two multi-homer games in his rookie season. With 17, he continues to add to his record for major-league home runs in a season after making a debut on Aug. 1 or later. Ted Williams had a record 14 in 1953.

For that continued offensive outburst, Williams playfully called Hoskins an “alien,” suggesting he was something other than human.

“Of course, he did,” Hoskins said. “That guy is pretty good himself too. So I guess we can be alien friends.”

Already, they are occupying the two most menacing middle-lineup spots, with Hoskins unlikely to be moved from the three-hole for a while.

“I plan on playing him every day,” Mackanin said. “He’s young. He doesn’t need a rest.”

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J.P. Crawford played in his eighth major-league game Wednesday, starting at second base and batting eighth. He has made seven starts, including four at third, one at short and the last two at second.

Mackanin insists he is trying to find playing time for the rookie, not putting him through multiple infield auditions.

“It’s pretty much to get him in the game, to get at-bats,” the manager explained. “We know he’s a shortstop. I like him at third. He made some nice plays at second. It’s nice to see his agility. Once again, it’s to get him major-league at-bats more than anything.”

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The Phils officially selected the contract of Henderson Alvarez and are likely to start him Sunday against the Oakland A’s.

It will be the right-hander’s first major-league start since 2015, as he has recovered from two shoulder surgeries. Alvarez, who threw a no-hitter against Detroit in 2013, was a 2014 All-Star with the Marlins. But he needed to prove himself this season with the independent Long Island Ducks before an opportunity with the IronPigs.

“It feels great,” Alvarez said. “It’s a great opportunity to be here. I’m thankful for that. To be back here in major league baseball is awesome.”

To clear space for Alvarez on the 40-man roster, Daniel Nava was placed on the 60-day disabled list with a strained back.

Thus ends the season for a 2017 Phillies rarity: A veteran on a short-term contract who was a value on the field and in the clubhouse.

Nava, 34, hit .301 with four home runs (two in his first Phillies game) in 80 games while earning just $1.35 million. Despite his .813 OPS, Nava was squeezed out of an outfield crowded with younger prospects requiring playing time.

Nava will become a free agent at the end of the season.

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The Cleveland Indians are on a 21-game winning streak.

“That’s pretty impressive,” Mackanin said. “That’s real impressive. It’s going to be interesting to see the last couple weeks of the season. I imagine at one point they’re not going to win 31 in a row. Maybe they will. That would be fantastic for them. Once they lose a couple, what happens after that?